


Watching the Witch

by servantofclio



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-03
Updated: 2015-08-03
Packaged: 2018-04-12 00:37:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 743
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4458623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/servantofclio/pseuds/servantofclio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Solas knows the witch is one of Mythal's.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Watching the Witch

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by nothing more than wondering what kind of interactions these characters might have.

The witch was one of Mythal’s. Solas knew this at once, as soon as he saw her at Halamshiral, glimpsed across the crowded ballroom. Even then, she carried the tang of Mythal’s magic with her, wild and dark. The Orlesian courtiers moved aside from her, thinking they did so because she was an apostate, when in truth it was because they, too, sensed the aura she carried with her.

Solas did not know what Mythal intended for this one. She could be profligate with her pawns, at times, especially with the daughters she bore or stole away and trained. She had, always, a myriad of plans and machinations in the works. Solas preferred to be rather more single-minded.

The witch came to Skyhold with her son and her Eluvian and a single trunk, her court finery left behind. As Solas understood it, she normally held court in the garden. He was not surprised that she would choose the greenest place in Skyhold. The populated, stone-bound, glass-edged world of the Orlesian court must have been a trial to one such as her. No wonder that she should seek out foliage and natural things, even within Skyhold’s walls.

Skyhold itself sang quietly at the Eluvian’s presence, a hum that threaded itself through the hold’s stones and that only Solas heard. The fortress had been pleased enough to have purpose again, enclosing folk within its walls; it was happier yet to hold the mirror.

It remained to be seen what effect the Eluvian would have on their enemy. That was a waiting game Solas was prepared to play.

The witch seldom passed by his work space at the foot of the tower; she seemed to disregard the humble apostate almost completely, which suited Solas perfectly. He had heard her voice in the tower above more than once, but she evidently entered the rookery in crow form and then descended to the library if she had need of any tomes.

One day, however, she entered from the hall, with rapid strides, and asked curtly, “Have you seen my son? A boy so big, with dark hair—”

“I have not,” Solas said. “He has not passed by here. There is little here to amuse a child.”

“He is not an ordinary child,” she said.

Solas knew this quite well, but what the boy carried with him—that was for another day, not this one.

“I am sorry I have not seen him,” he said, returning to the matter at hand. “You might ask Varric. He has a fondness for children.”

“Thank you,” she said, turning to go, and then paused. “In my haste, I did not introduce myself.”

It was not an apology, Solas noted. What was her real reason for lingering? “All Skyhold knows who you are, Lady Morrigan.”

“Mm,” she said. “You are the apostate, yes? The one who discovered how to close the Breach? ‘Twas well done.”

“Thank you,” he said. “I am pleased to assist the Inquisitor.”

“Where did you learn?” she asked, golden eyes bright and sharp now, like a bird of prey’s.

“Here and there and everywhere,” Solas said, with a slight wave of his hand. “I am sure the others have told you by now, I have something of an affinity for the Fade. Much that I know, I learned there.” A truth, if not the whole truth.

“’Tis most curious,” she said. “A peculiar affinity indeed. Did you learn aught of Eluvians there?”

Was that all she wanted? Interesting; she was not above seeking out knowledge wherever she could find it, then. “I am afraid I know little of Eluvians,” he lied.

“A pity,” she said, and turned once more to go.

He held himself ready until she had gone in truth. No more questions for the curious elf apostate, it seemed, although perhaps her errand was simply more pressing. Either way, it was well enough; he would as soon not attract more notice from her, even if she could do no real harm to him. From the hall, he could hear her voice again, and Varric’s, and—ah, yes, there—the boy’s, first excited and then contrite as he related an unauthorized trip to the stables. Solas kept his ears pricked as mother and child moved off together across the hall.

If she suspected anything of his true nature, she hid it well. It was no chore to continue in his circumspection, however. He would have to remain alert.


End file.
